Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Across The Ocean Again
Like Fantastic Spanking, I am just returning from a vacation. Angela and I visited Maribel in Israel. Angus came over on the train to stay with Colette and Luke. You might think that having a schizophrenic taking care of two teenagers is a bad idea. However, messing with Angus is not advisable. He has sat for us before, and if the kids start acting up, Angus pretends to hallucinate that the recalcitrants are on fire and proceeds to douse them with water.
Shortly after my last post, Maribel called and asked if we wanted to come to visit. Traveling to Israel is not the easiest thing in the world. It takes a few weeks to handle the red tape, such as travel visas and other permissions. However, if an influential Israeli invites you to visit, the red tape becomes much less sticky. Now, Maribel is not
that influential, however, the owner of the team that she plays for is. Lior Garfinkel is apparently an Israeli financier and gigantic basketball fan. He was in the U.S. during Maribel's college championship game, and actually watched the game on TV. He likes to spend time with his players, and was the person who suggested that we come for a visit. We both have current passports, I since my Olympic trip to China, and Angela received hers shortly thereafter (she figured that, since I was getting a passport, the whole family should get one).
So, on Friday the 13th, we boarded a plane and flew across the ocean to watch Maribel play. The trip was timed so that we could see Maribel play twice. The EuroLeague, of which Israel is a member, does not schedule games like we do here in the States. They typically play one game a week, practice for four days, and take two days off. Maribel says that she hasn't played this few games in the winter months since grade school. However, at this point in the season, because of upcoming all-star games and tournaments, Maribel's team had two games in five days. Thus the timing of the trip. As a side note, Maribel's next game is Monday, and then they do not play again until late March.
Maribel's team had two wins and twelve losses when we arrived. This was not especially disappointing. Another note about European basketball. In most countries, there are about four “elite” teams. These teams win their league championships every year. You might say, well in the NBA, teams like the Celtics, the Lakers, the Spurs, or the Pistons are always at or near the top. While true, all of those teams have had stretches in the last twenty years or so when they were dreadful, and other teams led the pack. This does not happen in Israel. In Israel, one of the four “elite” teams wins EVERY YEAR, period. All of the best players are placed on one of these four teams, and the other eight teams vie for what is left. Needless to say, Maribel's team is not one of the “elite” teams. Thus the two and twelve record.
There is one final note regarding professional basketball overseas. While they may recruit American players, if those players are not on one of the “elite” teams, most of the playing time goes to the home-country players. So, although Maribel appears to be better than most of the other players on her team, she only plays about ten minutes a game.
So she plays one game a week, and ten minutes a game, which means that all of her work goes towards ten minutes of playing time a week.
At least she gets paid.
To her credit, Maribel is not complaining. She's averaging about 10 points and 6 rebounds per game, which is pretty good for a sub. To make things better for her, their team's center sprained her ankle in practice the day before we arrived, so Maribel was promoted to starter. So, in the two games that we saw, Maribel played considerable, and played well. She scored more than twenty points in both games, and her team won both. So they are now four and twelve. At least they are not in last place.
We had a very pleasurable trip. Israel is a very interesting and truly unique part of the world. I will not talk about the political problems of that part of the world. I will briefly say that the problems do not seem to come from within the common people. I met many Israelis and a few Palestinians, and none of them hated each other, wanted to kill each other, or begrudged the other their faith. A few wanted to perform violence on the political leaders from the other side, but I believe I was able to convince them that bloodshed was not a proper method to show their displeasure.
Rather, I told them about a way of dealing with leaders whose methods they did not agree with. I said that they should spank them.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if we use spanking rather than killing? But, alas, that is a topic for another day.
Shortly after my last post, Maribel called and asked if we wanted to come to visit. Traveling to Israel is not the easiest thing in the world. It takes a few weeks to handle the red tape, such as travel visas and other permissions. However, if an influential Israeli invites you to visit, the red tape becomes much less sticky. Now, Maribel is not
that influential, however, the owner of the team that she plays for is. Lior Garfinkel is apparently an Israeli financier and gigantic basketball fan. He was in the U.S. during Maribel's college championship game, and actually watched the game on TV. He likes to spend time with his players, and was the person who suggested that we come for a visit. We both have current passports, I since my Olympic trip to China, and Angela received hers shortly thereafter (she figured that, since I was getting a passport, the whole family should get one).So, on Friday the 13th, we boarded a plane and flew across the ocean to watch Maribel play. The trip was timed so that we could see Maribel play twice. The EuroLeague, of which Israel is a member, does not schedule games like we do here in the States. They typically play one game a week, practice for four days, and take two days off. Maribel says that she hasn't played this few games in the winter months since grade school. However, at this point in the season, because of upcoming all-star games and tournaments, Maribel's team had two games in five days. Thus the timing of the trip. As a side note, Maribel's next game is Monday, and then they do not play again until late March.
Maribel's team had two wins and twelve losses when we arrived. This was not especially disappointing. Another note about European basketball. In most countries, there are about four “elite” teams. These teams win their league championships every year. You might say, well in the NBA, teams like the Celtics, the Lakers, the Spurs, or the Pistons are always at or near the top. While true, all of those teams have had stretches in the last twenty years or so when they were dreadful, and other teams led the pack. This does not happen in Israel. In Israel, one of the four “elite” teams wins EVERY YEAR, period. All of the best players are placed on one of these four teams, and the other eight teams vie for what is left. Needless to say, Maribel's team is not one of the “elite” teams. Thus the two and twelve record.
There is one final note regarding professional basketball overseas. While they may recruit American players, if those players are not on one of the “elite” teams, most of the playing time goes to the home-country players. So, although Maribel appears to be better than most of the other players on her team, she only plays about ten minutes a game.
So she plays one game a week, and ten minutes a game, which means that all of her work goes towards ten minutes of playing time a week.
At least she gets paid.
To her credit, Maribel is not complaining. She's averaging about 10 points and 6 rebounds per game, which is pretty good for a sub. To make things better for her, their team's center sprained her ankle in practice the day before we arrived, so Maribel was promoted to starter. So, in the two games that we saw, Maribel played considerable, and played well. She scored more than twenty points in both games, and her team won both. So they are now four and twelve. At least they are not in last place.
We had a very pleasurable trip. Israel is a very interesting and truly unique part of the world. I will not talk about the political problems of that part of the world. I will briefly say that the problems do not seem to come from within the common people. I met many Israelis and a few Palestinians, and none of them hated each other, wanted to kill each other, or begrudged the other their faith. A few wanted to perform violence on the political leaders from the other side, but I believe I was able to convince them that bloodshed was not a proper method to show their displeasure.
Rather, I told them about a way of dealing with leaders whose methods they did not agree with. I said that they should spank them.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if we use spanking rather than killing? But, alas, that is a topic for another day.
